Only One
by Ballad
Summary: Kagome dies and is reincarnated in present day Japan once again, only to be moved to America when she is just a year old. At fifteen, she becomes a Transfer Student and travels back to Japan, not knowing any Japanese, while falling down a certain Well...
1. Chapter 1: Tears Of A Hanyou

**Chapter 1**

* * *

There was a loud shrieking sound as Kagome's Sacred Arrow flew into Naraku, piercing him in his heart. And slowly but surely, Naraku started to turn to ash.

Suddenly, the completed Shikon No Tama reacted to the light, soul, and spirit of Kagome. It purified Naraku instantly…but at a terrible cost…

Kagome was the one closest to Naraku when he exploded like a bomb. Inu-Yasha tried his best to run to her, to protect her, but he wasn't quick enough. Miroku and Sangou, along with Kirara and Shippou, could only watch helplessly in the side lines with horror struck faces.

When Naraku exploded, a blinding light flashed all around them, and a deafening noise much too sensitive for human ears rang out over the land. Sangou, along with Shippou and Kirara, were within Miroku's sacred barrier. The four were well protected from the blinding flash and deafening roar. They would live, unharmed and unscathed.

But Kagome, on the other hand…is a different story.

Inu-Yasha held the Tessaiga in front of him as a shield when Naraku exploded. He still tried to etch his way forward, to where Kagome was standing just seconds before, but the explosion was far too powerful for him to even move a step. He was helplessly rooted to the spot, calling out Kagome's name over and over again.

After moments that felt like hours, the rubble and dust from the explosion finally dissipated; a large crater was now imbedded into the ground, right at the place Naraku was standing before he died.

At first, no one could find Kagome. The worst possible fear gripped at Inu-Yasha's heart as he looked around wildly, trying to catch a scent of the school girl. Finally, after another few moments of searching, he found her.

She was on the ground, at least fifty yards or more away from Inu-Yasha, covered in blood.

"_**KAGOME-E-E-E!!!!"**_ Inu-Yasha screamed in horror. He immediately ran over to her and kneeled down in front of her body. There was blood all over her front, as well as in her face and hair. Inu-Yasha gently cradled Kagome in his lap and cried. He tried to shake her awake, gently at first, but when she wouldn't stir, he shook her more roughly, still not believing that…

That she wasn't breathing…that there was no heart beat within her chest…

'_This can't be happening!!'_ he cried to himself as he now held Kagome tightly to his body. _'I should have been there!! This should never have happened!! Kagome...!!!!!'_

"_**NO-O-O!!"**_ Inu-Yasha screamed as he hugged the girl even tighter in his lap, frantically rocking himself back and forth. _**"NO!! NO!! NO!! NO!! NO!!!!! FUCK-K-K-K!!!!!!!!"**_

Sangou, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou rushed to Inu-Yasha's side when they heard him scream and curse wildly. Sangou gasped as she saw Kagome's battered and bloody body, and she instantly started to cry into the front of Miroku's robes, knowing that what she feared a moment ago has become a reality. Miroku started to cry as he held Sangou within his arms, as well. No mortal could have survived an explosion such as that, especially at that close of distance.

Not even a Hanyou or a Demon like Lord Sesshou-Maru could of.

"Oh no! **Kagome-e-e!!**" Shippou cried once he understood what was happening. He ran over to Inu-Yasha's side in tears. "**K-K-Ka-Kagome!!**" Shippou wailed as he jumped on Kagome's body, trying to make her wake up.

Inu-Yasha immediately grabbed the Kitsune by the tail and hoisted him up off of Kagome's broken body. Instead of throwing Shippou into a tree or into some far off land, he just gently laid Shippou on the ground next to him.

Inu-Yasha then stood up while he still cradled Kagome's body against his chest. His eyes were hidden underneath his hair as he slowly walked away from his companions. But no matter how hard he tried to hide it, they all could see the tear-stained cheeks.

Kirara mewed sadly as she watched Inu-Yasha walk away with Kagome's body. She then sadly looked up to see her Master and friend, Sangou, cry hysterically into the Monk's chest. He, too, cried.

"_**W-W-Wait!!**_" cried Shippou to Inu-Yasha. "Where a-a-are you t-t-taking K-Kagome!?" Before Shippou could run after Inu-Yasha, Kirara immediately transformed into her fighting form and grabbed the Kitsune's tail within her mouth.

"_**Let m-me go, Kirara-a-a!!!!**_" Shippou screamed as the now giant feline still held on to his tail within her gigantic canine mouth. No matter how much Shippou wiggled to get free, Kirara's jaw was like steel; there was no possible way he would be able to set himself free. Shippou wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

"S-should we go after them, L-Lord Miroku…?" Sangou asked in between sobs. Miroku's hold on Sangou's waist tightened when she was about to run after the Hanyou.

"No, Lady Sangou…let them go in peace…" Miroku tried his best to be stoic, but it was impossible. He grew very fond of Kagome in a very brotherly way, and he loved her, in that sense.

Miroku and Sangou continued to cry into one another. Shippou, at first, still tried to fight off Kirara and her steel-like jaws, but he gave up after a few moments, and the anger was replaced with a great sadness. He started to cry his eyes out over the loss, once again, while he also lost his fighting spirit at that very moment.

Kirara looked up into the blue and cloudless sky as she still continued to hold Shippou within her jaws. Kagome had sacrificed herself to save them…to save Inu-Yasha. At the last moment, Kagome jumped in front of Naraku's blast of dark power that was aimed for Inu-Yasha (which surely would have killed him), and she fired her sacred arrow at the last second…

Kirara knew what Kagome was thinking in her last hour. Kirara knew that the Miko finally remembered her past lives as Kikyou and Midoriko this morning…

And the only true reason Kirara knew what the Miko was remembering was because of the way she stared at the Cat Demon before they were to face Naraku. Kagome stared at Kirara with ancient eyes…with sad and mournful eyes…Midoriko's eyes…

Yet she still had a small smile etched upon her lips…

Kagome knew that is was her last hour this morning…that she was to die this day. It was the only way…

'_Will it always be like this?'_ Kirara thought to herself as she now stared at the completed Shikon No Tama upon the ground. It was purified and it glowed very brightly; Kirara never remembered it glowing so pure and bright before in all of her centuries of living.

'_Will that forever be your destiny, Midoriko? To reincarnate just to, once again, sacrifice yourself in the name of good? So you can forever destroy the powers of evil and darkness with your unselfish act?'_

Kirara looked up into the sky, once again. If there was one thing she never understood about Midoriko, her once Master and friend, it was her unselfish acts of bravery and heroism. But still, something bothered Kirara as she then, once again, looked at the completed Shikon No Tama.

There was a stir of power…

Within its glowing depths, Kirara saw the future. This wasn't the first time this happened, and every time it did happen, that meant bad news. _Very_ bad news.

As Kirara continued to stare at the completed Shikon No Tama, she saw Midoriko reincarnate once again. Kirara sighed mournfully. She knew what was coming next. There is another evil to come in the near future; an evil so powerful and strong, a hundred times more powerful than Naraku could ever have hoped to been, that no one would be able to destroy this evil…

Except for her...once again...

Kirara lowered her head sadly and dropped Shippou from her mouth in the process. Inu-Yasha was too far away for Shippou to be able to track or follow now, so it didn't matter if he decided to run after him or not. All that was on Kirara's mind, at that moment, was the rapidly approaching future she had just seen. At this exact moment, as they all mourned Kagome's death, Midoriko once again was being reincarnated…500 years into the future…

And so was the evil being...

Kirara roared angrily into the sky as she suddenly saw Midoriko's face there, staring down at Kirara with a sad smile etched onto her lips.

'_**Is this truly the only way to save the world!?'**_ Kirara roared mournfully into the heavens.


	2. Chapter 2: Transfer Program

**Chapter 2**

* * *

She stared into the mirror with disgust. The birthmark that protruded from her right shoulder was disgusting…horrid…and grotesque. It disgusted her all of her life, and because of this wretched birthmark, she could never wear tank tops or swimsuits. She could never enjoy the pool when the hottest days of summer arrived. She could never be like the rest of the girls who shopped for dresses or cute tank tops. 

She could never be one of those girls, even though she tried so hard to be.

Well, they were American, of course, while she was Japanese. They had blonde, brunette, or red hair, while hers was the color of a raven or crow. Most of them were tall, while she stood at a mere 5'2''.

The only thing she had in common with these other girls was the fact that, even though she was Japanese and was born in Japan, she couldn't speak the Japanese language. She also, like the other girls, had light-ivory skin, unlike both of her parents. And her eyes were a light-grey blue…uncommon and rare with Japanese folks, but not impossible.

It had something to do with the eye pigment…or whatever her one science teacher said once.

But she still tried so hard to fit in with those other girls. She wore the cutest of short-sleeved tops she could find, the cutest of skirts she could find…heck, she even grew out her hair! And to make it worse (meaning, almost giving her parents heart attacks), she bleached it to a nice and shiny platinum blonde!

Yah…her parents grounded her for a month for that one…

But no matter what she did, none of the other girls accepted her. She was an outcast at her middle school…and it was probably going to get worse once she entered high school…

She had to take action now!

* * *

"Transfer Student Program?" Akane's mother asked, perplexed. 

Akane shook her head excitedly. "I'd like to do it, mama. It's a once and a lifetime opportunity!"

Akane's mother looked down at the paper worriedly from the kitchen table. "Akane, dear…why Japan though? You could go somewhere else that would suit you better, career wise. Spain would be excellent, since America is into the Spanish language now."

Akane rolled her eyes. "I don't want to learn Spanish, mama, and I don't want to go to Spain."

"But, Akane…you don't know any Japanese…it would be very hard for you to go to school there," Akane's mother stated, matter of factly. "And what can you gain from this? It just would be a waist of good money! Your father and I left Japan for you, Akane. We've just almost mastered the English language and we finally became citizens!

"Why would you want to go to Japan after what your father and I've done for you, Akane? America has such great employment opportunities for women that Japan does not, and think about the colleges here! They are so grand and amazing! I'll have to show you the college-print outs I have required from over the internet sometime soon!"

Akane rolled her eyes. _'Great…I'm not even in high school yet and she and my father already have some colleges picked out for me…!'_

"But mama," Akane complained, "I really want to do this! It'll only be for a few months…"

"**SIX** months…" Akane's mother interrupted. Akane rolled her eyes. "Yah, six months, whatever! But anyway, Amy is going, and she knows the Japanese language pretty well. She can teach me stuff, and besides, we both really want to go together!"

Akane's mother sighed. "Akane, Amy's parents are very wealthy. She could go to whatever country she desires. You, on the other hand…your father and I are certainly NOT wealthy."

"But all the money in my savings account…"

"Is for college only!" Akane's mother snapped. "Why would you want to waist all that money away your father and I worked so hard to attain, just for you!? Just to go to Japan for six months?? How will you eat there? Sleep? Are you just going to live in an apartment there? Do you know how expensive it is to live in Tokyo!?"

Akane stomped her foot angrily. "Mama, I am not going to live on my own! I'll be a Transfer Student living with a Transfer Family!"

Akane's mother raised an eyebrow. "Transfer Family?"

"I'll be living with a family who've signed up for the program, mama. I'd move in with them and learn the Japanese language! I'll also learn all about the culture of Japan, the history, and…whatever else there is to learn!!"

"You know nothing of the Japanese culture, Akane…" Akane's mother sighed.

Akane wanted to throttle her mother. "That's where you come in, mama! You and dad could teach me all I need to know before I go!"

"And when would you be…leaving…?" Akane's mother asked.

"Before school starts," Akane shrugged her shoulders.

"What!?" Akane's mother got up from the kitchen table in shock and outrage. "Akane, that is two weeks from now! You can't possibly learn all of the things you need to know about the Japanese culture by then!!"

Akane shrugged her shoulders again. "Like I said, Amy can teach me. She could share her notes with me once we settle in and go to school there. She knows a lot about Japan, and she's almost mastered the Japanese language!"

"Did she agree to all of this with you, Akane?" Akane's mother asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, mama, she did. It was her idea," Akane said, coolly.

"Will you two be living together with the same Transfer Family?" Akane's mother asked once she sat down again at the kitchen table. "And I don't like the idea of you going to a family you never even met, Akane. And I certainly don't want a Transfer Student living in my house, in replace of you."

"First off," Akane started, "No. Amy and I will be going to the same high school in Tokyo, but we will have different Transfer Families. Secondly, this program is perfectly safe…trust me on that one. And thirdly, I can find a family who've signed up for the program but who doesn't have a child who is transferring, as well."

"I didn't know the program worked that way…" Akane's mother stated, dumbfounded.

Akane just shrugged her shoulders. "I guess they obviously can. Amy explained the whole thing to me. We both knew you and dad wouldn't agree to this…especially if a Japanese Transfer Student would live under the same roof as you, in replace of me.

"But you don't have to worry about that. There are some Japanese families in Japan that have signed up for the program without any children. There are only a few…but they are still there. If you say yes, I could get on it right away and grab that kind of a family before there are no more left!"

Akane's mother stared at her for a long time, with furrowed eyebrows. After a long and pregnant pause, Akane spoke up. "You want me to get into a good college, right mama? Well, this is my chance! Colleges love to take in Transfer Students, and if I get really good grades in Japan, any college will certainly want me in America!! So please, please, please, please, PLEASE!! Let me go!! I promise I'll do my very best!"

Akane's mother then gave out a loud sigh and looked down at the paper in front of her, once again. "You have to talk to your father first, Akane."

Akane couldn't have been any happier in her whole, entire life! Her father agrees to anything and loves all of Akane's ideas! And Akane instantly knew, once that statement came out of her mother's mouth, that she was going to Japan, two weeks from now!!

"Oh thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!" Akane cried happily while she bear hugged her mom.

"Akane, you are going to suffocate me!" Akane's mother cried.

"Sorry, mama! But thank you so much!" Akane laughed as she kissed her mom on the cheek.

"I didn't say you were going, Akane! I said you needed to talk to your father first!" Akane's mother said, furiously.

Akane just laughed again. "I know, I know, but thanks so much, yet again!!" And with that, Akane ran upstairs to call Amy to tell her the great news.

Akane's mother sighed heavily when she heard Akane scream happily in her room. She was probably talking to her best friend, Amy, on the phone right now. Akane's mother knew that her husband would agree to this…so why did she let Akane go? Why was she agreeing to this?

Akane's mother shook her head sadly and got up from the kitchen chair to start supper. It was going to be a long evening…

* * *

"Why, that is an excellent idea, Akane!!" Akane's father exclaimed with great enthusiasm as the family ate supper at the kitchen table. "I think you'll love Japan very much!" 

"So this means I can go?" Akane asked hopefully while she stuffed a whole spoonful of mashed potatoes in her mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouthful, Akane," Akane's mother snapped.

"Why, of course you can go!" Akane's father agreed happily. "I'm much honored that you are so interested in the Japanese culture, little Akane! I can teach you all you need to know before you leave in two weeks!"

Akane cried happily and hugged her father. "Oh, thank you dad!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

Akane was about to run upstairs to her room again, to call Amy once more, but her mother snapped out, "Akane, don't just run off from supper like that! Eat the rest of your food! And where are your manners!?"

"Oh, sorry mama," Akane said, apologetically. She quickly, yet mannerly, scarfed down her roast and mashed potatoes then put her dishes in the sink once her plate was licked clean. "Don't worry about the dishes, Akane. I'll take care of them," her father said, kindly.

"Thanks dad," Akane said happily, and then she bounded up to her room, squealing with delight all the way up the stairs.

"I can't believe you!" Akane's mother snapped at her husband once Akane was in her room. "Why would you let her go, just like that!? Think about her education, Hiro! Why do you have to agree with her on everything!?"

Hiro sighed at his wife. "Mana, I do not agree with her on everything. Remember when she first dyed her hair that color? I grounded her for that, just like you."

Mana looked at her husband angrily. "But you are the one who let her keep that hair color!! I wanted her to immediately dye it back to her natural hair color, but you said no!!"

Hiro sighed again. "Look, Mana, let Akane go. She was born in Japan, after all, and she is a Japanese citizen. She's just curious about her culture and history. If this is what she wants—"

"She is too young to know what she wants yet, Hiro!!" Mana snapped at her husband with a blazing fury. "We are going to be wasting all this money on her!! I can't believe you would do this to me! Our daughter is going to become a low-life and a loser because of you!!"

And with that, Mana abruptly got up from the kitchen table and went to her room, slamming her bedroom door loudly behind her.

Hiro shook his head sadly. "I don't know who is more of the teenager here…Akane or my wife?" Hiro chuckled a bit with that last statement as he finished his food and then calmly started to clean up.


End file.
